Issues in Advertising (Busan Edition)
Past Happenings
About CS4070 Issues in Advertising (Busan Edition)
The course CS4070 Issues In Advertising (Busan Edition) aims to elevate students’ understanding of creativity in communications and its role in enhancing advertising and PR campaigns. It brings students to Busan, Korea to compete in MAD STARS, an international Marketing, Advertising and Digital content festival with conferences, exhibitions, and competitions. Students competed under the Young Stars category, working 30 hours on an advertising brief challenge, presenting their ideas as case boards and videos. Throughout the course, creatives, directors, and strategists from distinguished agencies critiqued and improved the students’ work, deepening their industry knowledge and broadening their network.
Mentor Circle and Industry Speakers
Awarded Works
Held annually in Busan, South Korea, MAD STARS is one of Asia’s largest international festivals celebrating excellence in marketing, advertising, and digital content.
The Young Stars competition recognises emerging creatives under 30 for outstanding ideas developed within a 30-hour brief challenge, while the Executive Chairman’s Special Award honours work that demonstrates exceptional innovation and insight.
| Award | Year | Project | Students |
| Crystal Award | 2025 | Step Zero to Stop Vaping | Joween Lim & Bertina Chiew |
| Executive Chairman’s Special Award | 2025 | Vapocalypse Now | Amanda Tay & Coen Sim |
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Watch the Case Video here: Step Zero to Stop Vaping
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Watch the Case Video here: Vapocalypse Now
Hear from our teams!
Two Rays
Lynette and Rui En are third-year students at WKWSCI, united by a drive to be bold and create ideas that stand out.
“Our experience at MAD STARS allowed us to challenge ourselves to create bold, creative, and meaningful ideas. Through the intensity of the process, especially with the time constraints, we were pushed into clearer and purposeful storytellers. We also gained invaluable advice from experts and learned a lot from the other award-winning ideas. Ultimately, this experience led us to have more confidence in our ideas.”
KelXuan
Lexuan and Kelly are WKWSCI students who value crafting impactful and efficient solutions, with a touch of wit.
“MAD STARS was a transformative opportunity that redefined how we approach creativity. We learned to go beyond simple concepts, and challenge ourselves to create cohesive solutions. This experience accelerated our professional growth, bridging the gap between academic theory and the valuable, practical applications that will anchor our future careers.”
PB&Jo
Joween and Bertina are 2 students from WKWSCI who believe that creative ideas can come about from conversations, and strive to make our work simple but impactful.
“Our time at MAD STARS was truly one of the most challenging, yet valuable experiences we have both had as budding creatives. From barely being able to come up with an insight, to pushing ourselves to craft an entire creative solution - MAD STARS has pushed us both to grow beyond what we thought we were capable of!
It was through this process, and in working with bright peers who brought so much passion, while being able to listen and learn from some of the best industry professionals, that has given us insight into how award-winning work is created. We are excited to apply what we have learnt to our future projects and to just keep creating!”
Tender Loving Creatives
Amanda and Coen are a pair of driven WKWSCI creative powerhouses, combining laser-sharp insights, culturally resonant ideas with just the right dash of TLC.
“It was crazy, and kind of surreal… At some point halfway through the 30-hour YOUNG STARS final rush, we looked at each other, caffeine-amped, half-insane, our cup noodle dinner forgotten beside us, and just laughed — we’d dreamed about this moment since we were advertising noobs, unable to figure out what a proper insight was — and now we were about to submit an idea that we’d tested, shelved, refined, and tested again before bringing it to life. One that represented how much we’d grown and improved along the journey, and that made it all worth it.
Despite it being our first foray into competitive advertising creativity, at the end of it we really had grown into more creative and sharp people than we were before. The mentorship from Prof Pei, Jun and Shawn from TBWA\ and advice from multiple creative veterans laid the groundwork for our mindset, and the battle-ready perceptiveness we touched down in Busan with – but being pushed to think quickly and strategically under 30 hours of pressure really solidified our learnings via trial by fire. We’re thrilled to have walked away with the Executive Chairperson’s Special Award – but this is only the beginning of our journey, and we’ll continue to reinvent ourselves and refine our craft to create even better work and shoot for the stars.
Tom and Jerry
Ryan and Wayne are chaotic duos who found joy in turning their nonsense into ideas. One moment they were overthinking strategy, the next they were laughing at the most random thoughts, but somehow that mix of chaos and trust worked out for them.
“This module taught us that creativity is not just about waiting for inspiration but about practice, persistence and finding the human truths that matter. The 30-hour brief in Busan was our ultimate test. We survived on adrenaline, hotteoks and the vague hope that the other person knew what they were doing. It was stressful, messy and occasionally hilarious, but it proved that teamwork can turn chaos into something worth sharing. What stayed with us most were the people, the late nights and the closing dinner, which confirmed that humans work best when they trust each other and laugh at how ridiculous they are.”
The Deadline Fighters
Lionel and Leanne have always been fascinated by how people think and feel, with the goal of creating real impact. CS4070 (Issues in Advertising) opened the door to advertising — challenging them to craft ideas for the community while learning directly from industry leaders.
“This module was our first step into advertising. Its value came from taking us far beyond the classroom – from learning through industry sharing, to pitching to professionals, and finally tackling a 30 hour brief. Across six months, we explored strategy and creativity in depth. It pushed us beyond our limits and reshaped how we saw the industry and its demands.
The highlight was the 30-hour MAD STARS competition. Fueled by adrenaline and teamwork, we raced the clock to crack the brief. We sat glued to our chairs for 12 hours straight, sharing the grind — and the laughter/cries with our friends in the same boat. It was exhausting yet electrifying, the kind of moment that pushed us to keep learning, creating, and chasing our next steps in advertising.”
Iced Vanilla Latte
Stacy and Hui Li are 2 students who’ve always been curious about how ads make people feel, remember, and/or talk. CS4070 was a chance for them to throw themselves into the deep ends of advertising – to test their ideas under pressure, to learn from the best in the industry (even around the world), and most importantly, to grow as creatives and make work they're proud of.
“As complete newbies with no prior experience in advertising, this module was our first real foot in the door of the ad world. Over six months, we deep-dived into everything from strategy to creative, and this process completely reshaped our perspective on the industry and what it takes.
Looking back, the moment that stuck with us the most was the 30-hour MAD STARS competition. Running on adrenaline, racing against the clock, and cracking the brief together was when we felt most immersed in our work. It was exhausting yet exhilarating. This gave us the motivation to keep learning and creating, going beyond the module and taking our next steps into advertising.”
The Journey
Tanya and Jordan came into CS4070 with a lot of curiosity and not much experience. What stood out straight away was how much more there is to advertising than just following a brief.
“Anyone can read the same words — but what really matters is how you see them differently. We learned to chase what excited us, to push ideas beyond the obvious, and to sit with the uncertainty that often comes with creative work. The 30-hour MAD STARS challenge was a turning point. We were exhausted, running on caffeine and adrenaline, but completely in the zone. It was the first time we felt like proper creatives — solving problems quickly, bouncing off each other, and building something we believed in.
Strangely though, the moment that stuck with us most was realising we didn’t win. It was a quiet but clear reminder that we’re not quite there yet — and that’s okay. It gave us the motivation to keep going, to learn more, and to keep pushing our thinking. This module wasn’t just about making ads, it was about growing as creatives in a space that challenged us. One of the best parts was meeting other students, hearing their perspectives, and realising just how many ways there are to approach a single idea. CS4070 taught us that creativity isn’t about playing it safe — it’s about backing yourself, even when you're unsure, and seeing where the risk takes you.”
Related: Experiential Learning
- Cannes Lions International
- International Strategic Communication Management
- Going Overseas For Advanced Reporting
- Nanyang Chronicle
- Overseas Documentaries You Should See
- Overseas Film Festival
- Perspectives Film Festival
- Regional Strategic Communication Management
- Short Overseas Journalism Practicum
- South by Southwest
- Spectrum TV
- The Content Lab
- WKWSCI Alumni Magazine
- NTU WKWSCI: Engage
- Issues In Advertising (Busan Edition)